International students dressed in hanbok (Korean traditional cloth) gathered and ate tteok-mandutguk (rice cake and dumpling soup). Laughter broke out from circles where students sang "Kkachi Kkachi Seolnaleun" (a Korean folk song celebrating the New Year) in hand-in-hand. This was all part of the Lunar New Year’s Day Festival hosted by the Ewha Language Center (ELC) which took place on February 9 at the Ewha-Samsung Education Culture Building.
The annual festival was expanded this year to include all Ewha faculty members and international students unlike previous years’ events that only included ELC students. In total, 354 students and 10 teachers from other countries participated. Vice presidents for offices were also invited.
  The festival was divided into two parts: performance and traditional games.
   Ewha’s pungmul (instruments for Korean traditional percussion music) band opened the festival with Pungmul and a vigorous dance performance by Ewha’s dance club named Action worked the participants up. After their performances, Yang Hei-soon, director of ELC, and President Lee Bae-yong delivered welcoming messages.
 Referring Ewha as their "second home," President Lee hoped international students would appreciate Korean culture through this event. Also explaining the belief of getting older by eating the rice cake soup drew out laughter here and there.
  ELC known to support student's extracurricular activities proved their words. International students' diverse performances ranging from children's songs to the latest Korean pop songs of Girl's Generation, Tiara and 2Pm continued.
 “Practicing for the performance everyday for two weeks was certainly challenging. However, the mouthwatering pizza after practice was always a pleasure," said Chang Jia Ben from Taiwan.  
 Korean traditional games followed, and students played big-sized yut (four-stick game), jegichagi (shuttlecock kicking) and tuho (arrow throwing).
 "Everything was new and interesting. I had a great time with other students especially when playing the game of yut. I often get shy but the game of yut is good because every player can participate. This will be a memorable moment for me," said Allan Doppyn (St. Andrew's College, 2)

저작권자 © Ewha Voice 무단전재 및 재배포 금지